A briefing concerning the recent drone sightings in the northeast was provided to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Sunday night. Murphy shared the update on the social media platform X, stating, “Received a briefing tonight from @FBINewark Special Agent in Charge Nelson Delgado and his team at @NWSEarleNJ in Colts Neck to discuss the @FBI’s investigation into recent drone sightings.”
He also emphasized the state’s readiness to collaborate with the federal government to resolve the situation, saying, “We are ready to assist the federal government in getting to the bottom of this.” On Friday, Murphy reached out to President Biden, requesting additional support from the federal government.
Murphy calls for more federal support as drone sightings raise local concerns
In his message, he expressed appreciation for the Biden administration’s efforts but pointed out that “it has become apparent that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity.” He added that residents “deserve more concrete information.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed on Sunday that the drone sightings are indeed real, but his agency has found no evidence indicating foreign involvement. “There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” Mayorkas remarked. “
And I want to assure the American public that we, in the federal government, have deployed additional resources, personnel, and technology to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings.”
He further noted that various factors could explain the increase in reported sightings. “Let me set the record straight here,” Mayorkas stated. “There are thousands of drones flown every day in the United States — recreational drones, commercial drones. That is the reality.”
He also mentioned changes implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in September 2023, which allowed drones to operate at night. “That may be one of the reasons why now people are seeing more drones than they did before, especially from dawn to dusk. And so that is the reality,” he concluded.
